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Minnechaduza Cemetery, also known as Boothill
located at the west edge of Valentine
Section ?, Range 34, Township 27.

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© 2000-2024 DJH
  Located 1/2 mile west of Valentine overlooking the Minnechaduza creek. This less than 1 acre of land was given by the Tobien brothers to the city of Valentine. It was incorporated 10-02-1925 as the Minnechaduza Cemetery Association.
BOOTHILL CEMETERY
 This is a historic account about the first cemetery started here in Valentine soon after the start of the town.This story is written by Catherine Donoher
A list of people still buried there is added to this account.
Many wild stories have been told through the years since the early eighteen eighties.
This is about the people buried in the old Minnechaduza Cemetery. It was on school land and abandoned as a burial ground many years ago.

One would-be historian who visited this part of the country in 1885 claims to have found out that sixteen men of Doe Middleton's gang had been killed and were buried in this old cemetery. Also a little twelve year old girl who had been shot by a reckless man as she sat by the window in her father's house. No little girl was ever shot here as he described.
Following are the names of the only men and one woman sleeping there who "died with their boots on."

On July 31, 1883, word was brought to Valentine that J.K. Adams, otherwise known as Peg-Leg-Jack, had been shot and killed, by himself or some one else at his road house which was four or five miles up the Minnechaduza, which ws west of town,ner what is now the Marley place. The Coroner's Jury, presided over by Dr. Alfrew Lewis returned a verdict of suicide but there was considerable doubt felt that he had killed himself. The body was buried the same day. The death of this man made it necessary for Valentine to have a cemetery, so a pretty spot on a small hill overlooking the Minnechaduza, a half mile west of town was selected.

On the evening of October 12,1883, the same year, Clarence Hand, from Montana, a cow puncher for the O.W. outfit of Mansville, Wyoming, came down here with a shipment of cattle, was shot and killed by Johnny Keye at a sporting house known as the Hog Ranch, a short distance south of town. Keye, whose real name was Richard Springfield, was sheriff of the newly organized county of Cherry and also the noted Gunman of this part of the country. Hand was said to be the bad man of the Wyoming outfit and they were looking for Key.

One morning during the first week of the following December, J.J. Hamlin who had just been relieved as cattle inspector the first of November by Emmet James was shot and killed by his brother-in-law, Johnny Smith. There had been bad blood between these two men for sometime. They had married sisters, Mary and Lucy McDonald of O'neill. When intoxicated, as he frequently was, Hamlin was very unkind to his wife and she would go to the Smiths for protection. The night before he was killed Hamlin had returned from O'neill on the same train with Smith and his family. The brakeman said Hamlin attempted to stab Smith as he passed through the car where Smith was sleeping. The killing occurred about a mile south of town.

When he left town Smith accompanied by Johnny Pierce, Billy Carter and Jesse Danie1son.

Carter had been elected sheriff in November and when he took the office in January 1884, Jesse Danielson was appointed his deputy. Sometime after, these men were indicted by the Grand Jury. Smith left the country and was later arrested in Arizona but made his escape. Still later he was reported killed resisting arrest in Mexico. Pierce, Danielson and Carter were acquitted.

Along in midwinter of 1884 and 1885, Old Man Murphy was shot and killed by "Frenchie" at a grade camp near where Cody is now, that was used as a stopping place that winter by people traveling up and down the country. "Frenchie," whose name was Prosper Merriam, was a rough hand from Johnson's ranch at Boiling Springs. Murphy was a homesteader. He and a heady young nephew were on the way over to the canyons toward Boiling Springs for wood and young Murphy remarked he would like to see any -------!of a cowboy stop him. Frenchy replied by snuffing out the older Man's life as he stepped between them. Frenchie's friends effected his escape from jail when he was brought here for trial at the November term of court in 1885. About 38 years later a daughter of Mr. Murphy removed his remains to Chadron.

One night in the early spring of 1885 a girl called Paint was shot and killed in a drunken quarrel in one of the saloons by Lank Keye, a younger brother of Johnny Keye. He left the country that night and was never seen here again.

Also, one Bryon, an old sea captain, and a bartender here. Many of the graves were marked and many were not.

Sometime along in May or June of 1885 a gambler known as Little Keno was shot and killed in a saloon row by Charlie Sickler, a friend of his who was shooting at Ed McDade. McDade was a Texas man, cousin of the Key brothers. During the summer of the same year Dutchy, a cowboy whose name was Louis Hassed, shot him self at Red Jack's Place on the Minnechaduza north of town. His grave is marked by three cedar trees, which are still there.

One post is all that is left of the fence which once enclosed Hamlin's grave. Several bodies were removed from this old burial ground when Mt. Hope was opened about 1902.

Forty Graves still remain and the location of each was marked with a piece of iron pipe when it was fenced a number of years ago by the following committee of old timers. Henry Graham, John W. Tucker, Mrs. Bertha Sparks, Wren D. Compton and Catherine Donoher.

The title to the less-than-one-acre enclosed was kindly given by Tobien brothers and is now vested in the city of Valentine. June, 1933.
(Signed) Catherine M. Donoher
Story contributed by the Cherry County Historical Society

* means burial could be either Minnechaduza, Holsclaw or moved to Mt. Hope cemetery
** means burials from St. John's Church Records

NAME BIRTH DEATH
Ackley, William 1893 12-07-1897
*Adams, Jack K.(Peg-Leg-Jack) 08-02-1883
Anderson, Leonard Charles(son of Charles G. Anderson) 1 yr, 9 months, 5 days02-12-1905
Ashburn, Cora(dau of W.V.Ashburn) 1889 05-11-1892
Betts, Charles??
Bladget, Jackson 1842 05-05-1895
Broad, Mr.?09-09-1892
Brown, Infant 10-1888 08-06-1889
Bross, Parson 05-10-1854 07-31-1890 New Jersey
Busherks, baby(of Van)??
Bryon, William P.183108-25-1887
Buttinghaus, Mrs. Herman 1866 03-16-1900
*Carlson, Infant son(of Frank) 09-1888 10-04-1889
Carpenter, J.M. 1829 01-05-1900
Carpenter, Frances M.(wife of John m.06-26-1849) 08-20-1828 08-22-1900 Troy, NY
Chaufty, infant (of H.C.)?10-07-1892
Cherry, Mrs. & baby no dates
Cherry, Etta?09-6-1889
**Chote, Mrs. R.E.186312-24-1886
Collins, ??06-01-1888
**Cook, Warren F. 1881 05-22-1897
Cunningham, Frank?03-01-1889
Donoher, Peter Sr.??
**Dorr, Earl(of Frank) 05-188612-17-1886
Dressen, Child(murdered by Mrs. Dressen)?01-01-1892
Dunn, Sergent John??
*Eads, dau(of Mary)189006-5-1891
* **Everts, Albert A. 1849 04-02-1886
Everts, children x 2??
*Evarts, Fannnie?04-07-1893
Farris, Mr. M. R.?08-13-186
Farris, Mrs?08-13-1886
**Farris, Ella(dau of M.R.)01-188608-13-1886
Farris, Infant?08-05-1892
Fisher, Mrs. George L.?08-27-1886
Folks, Infant(of A.J.)06-188612-10-1886
Foster, Lillie?05-01-1891
*Gallino, John?03-18-1892
Gaskells, Caleb age 32
George, dau187608-30-1889
*Gokey, Mrs. F.M.?07-31-1891
Greggs, Lucy A. 183601-29-1884
*Gulick, Mrs. William?01-30-1891
Hadlock, Mrs.?07-08-1892
Hamlin, J.J.12-1883
Hand, Clarence 10-12-1883
Hansen, child(of M.)?03-21-1890
**Hare, Evaline Bowden(wife of Walter)186204-02-1891
Hassel, Deutchie Louis No dates
*Heth, Frank?08-07-1891
Hersey, Son of George N. 3 years12-1895
Hersey, ???
*Holsclaw, Arthur L.?04-11-1890
Hooten, John??
**Hooker, Marion I.& baby 185210-01-1886
Hubbard, Daniel??
Hunter, Infant(of J.F.)?09-04-1891
Hunter, J.C.183904-15-1892
Irwin, Malvince no dates
Jenkins, Infant(of W.E.)?04-10-1891
Johnson, ???? No dates
Johnston, son(of N.B.)186910-15-1886
Joseph, Child 4 months
Kalblimer, Infant(of J.S.)?02-15-1890
Keno, Little No dates
Lance, dau(of W.H. & A.E.)?02-17-1893
*Lundy, Nathan03-13-1891
*Lundy, Mrs. Nathan?04-14-1893
Lunz, Otto B.?08-09-1889
Lurz, baby??
McDonald, E. 1843 05-14-1899
Miller, John??
Minor, Maj. John??
Morlan, Theodore?10-10-1890
**Murphy, George Earl(son of Thomas R.)02-188812-19-1888
*Nolan, Peter?12-02-1892
*Ormisher, John?11-19-1886
Parker, George No dates
*Parks, Mrs. C.W. ?07-24-1891
Perry, Mrs. No dates
Presho, Charles?05-19-1887
Ray, Infant (of H.H.)?01-25-1889
Redmond, Thomas?05-14-1886
**Redmund, John T.186305-1-1886
Reimers, son(of Peter)188607-29-1892
Richardson, child(of Ira)?03-15-1889
Ritterbush, MR.(husband of Sarah F.)?02-24-1893
*Roberts, Mrs. Jas.?3-22-1889
*Rosuleau, Hubert 1796 06-25-1887
Sage Hen, baby no dates
Searby, Charles181912-11-1891
Sederstroms, dau(of G.)03-189012-18-1891
Sederstrom, Mrs. G.186001-22-1892
Shackelton, Miss Ham?04-10-1891
Shady Ware, Mother no dates
**Shaw, Annie (dau of Dallas & Julia)18856-19-1887
Shaw, Charles?03-27-1891
Sheldon, ?(murdered by Robinson)?06-08-1888
*Simons, child(of P.)?07-29-1892
Simons, child(of P.)?10-14-1892
Sisler, son(of H.L.)188108-20-1886
Smith, C.H.A. no dates
Smith, Lorain02-188910-25-1889
*Sparks, child(of L.C.)10-189007-15-1892
**Sparks, Mary E.186009-05-1896
Steele, Daniel 07-15-1828 10-20-1897
Steele, John T.186711-18-1892
Stephens, Henry?05-02-1886
**Stetter, Charles H.G.(of Jacob W.)05-188609-28-1886
Thieman, Capt.??
Towne, Uncle Dick no dates
Tremmel,dau(of Albert Charles Tremmel)(killed by brothers)?03-03-1893
**Tremmel, Albert Charles185101-1893
Tucker, granchild(of J.W.)?03-06-1891
Tucker, J. Wesley??
Tupper, W.O.?05-10-1889
Van Buskirk, Albert 09-12-188304-11-1884Monroe City, IND.
**Waite, Sophia Elizabeth(dau of William E.) 03-188707-24-1887
*Ware, Mrs.184711-25-1892
Welch, Synthia May?12-19-1890
Wiser, Samuel Henry04-188708-18-1887
Woodson, Henry??
Unknown, Man with broken leg no dates
Unknown, Paint (girl shot by Lank Key) no dates
Unknown, Gambler no dates
Unknown, Old French Man no dates
Unknown, Old Lady no dates

We apologize for any errors in reading or transcribing of information. For corrections, please contact the Cherry County Coordinator. Information on births and deaths donated by Ruth Harms.

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